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Game week 2 of the 2021-22 La Liga season brought some shock results as both Real Madrid and Barcelona were held to draws. Sevilla and Atletico Madrid are the only teams left in the league with unblemished records heading into this weekend.
Barcelona drew 1-1 to Athletic Bilbao, with Memphis Depay scoring to level the scores after Inigo Martinez put Bilbao in front. Real Madrid, on the other hand, played out a stunning 3-3 draw with Levante as Vinicius Junior's brace bailed out Los Blancos.
These results will come as great news for Atletico Madrid, who are looking to defend their La Liga crown. Diego Simeone's men came away with a 1-0 victory against Elche thanks to a first-half goal from Angel Correa.
Elsewhere, Sevilla also continued their perfect start to their La Liga season with a 1-0 win against Getafe, courtesy of a goal by new signing Erik Lamela, who continued his hot streak after his brace in game week 1. Julen Lopetegui's side are yet to concede a goal in the league and will be confident heading into the game against Elche at the weekend.
Gameweek 2 of La Liga saw only one game produce more than two goals, however there were definitely some standout players who helped their respective teams with their performances. So without further ado, here are
Top 5 players from GW 2 of La Liga
#5 Jules Kounde (Sevilla)
Although this might've been Jules Kounde's last game for Sevilla, the Frenchman made sure he could leave La Liga on a high note as he put in a commanding performance at the heart of Sevilla's defense in the 1-0 win against Getafe.
The 22-year-old was a rock at the back for Sevilla and his positioning and calmness on the ball made sure Yassine Bounou wasn't too troubled in goal. Kounde was also dominant in the air, winning five out of his six aerial duels while battling with the likes of Enes Unal and Sandro Ramirez.
The defender is now reportedly set to join Premier League side Chelsea in the coming days and will be a huge loss to Julen Lopetegui's side.
#4 Koke (Atletico Madrid)
Business as usual for Koke, as the Spaniard put in another terrific performance in midfield in Atletico Madrid's 1-0 win against Elche in game week 2 of the La Liga season. The Spaniard was all over the pitch, helping out on both sides of the play.
Koke controlled the pace of the game with his passing and movement and was constantly on the ball for Atletico Madrid. The Spaniard completed 97% of his passes on the night. He was also successful in all four of his tackles and made eight ball recoveries as well.
Elche's midfield struggled to hinder Koke's influence on the game despite them dominating the overall possession stats. The Spaniard ensured Atletico Madrid came away with a relatively comfortable win on the night.
#3 Karim Benzema (Real Madrid)
Karim Benzema has been on fire this season. The Frenchman bagged a brace in Real Madrid's opener against Deportivo Alaves and has followed it up with two assists in the 3-3 draw against Levante.
The Frenchman was unplayable on the night and was a constant threat to Levante's defense with his movement and build-up play. Although he didn't get many chances to score himself, Benzema kept trying to play his teammates through on goal, showing off his impressive vision for a striker.
Benzema's composure combined with his technical ability on the ball helped him provide two assists on the night, with Gareth Bale and Vinicius Jr. being the beneficiaries of his selfless display. The Frenchman will be vital to Real Madrid's title challenge this season and is already showing that he is worthy of being Sergio Ramos's successor as the club's captain.
#2 Stole Dimitrievski (Rayo Vallecano)
Stole Dimitrievski finds his way onto the list despite being in a Rayo Vallecano side that lost 1-0 to Real Sociedad. The North Macedonian shot-stopper was simply a wall in between the sticks and prevented his side from utter embarrassment on the night.
Dimitrievski made 7 saves against Sociedad, including a couple of incredible stops against Alexander Isak and Mikel Oyarzabal. The Swedish hitman, in particular, was foiled multiple times by Dimitrievski and was left frustrated on the night. The Macedonian was only beaten by a penalty in the 68th minute of the game by Oyarzabal, who saw his free-kick get acrobatically saved by the keeper a few minutes before the spot-kick was awarded.
The keeper was left out of Vallecano's starting XI in GW 1, but after his heroics against Sociedad, Dimitrievski is sure to be between the sticks for the foreseeable future.
#1 Vinicius Junior (Real Madrid)
Vinicius Junior could finally be having his breakthrough season at Real Madrid. The Brazilian came to the club with a lot of hype around him, but has been inconsistent in terms of performance and goal contributions.
However, this season, the winger looks like he is ready to take his game to the next level. The Brazilian scored in Real Madrid's opening game against Deportivo Alaves despite coming on as a substitute. Vinicius went onto outdo himself this time around and saved Real Madrid's blushes as he bagged himself a second-half brace against Levante after starting the game on the bench.
The Brazilian is pushing the likes of Eden Hazard and Gareth Bale for a spot in the starting XI, and Carlo Ancelotti will soon have no choice but to start the Brazilian winger if he continues to play at this level.
